How much influence does the Opposition have in the town hall?

At the last elections the PSOE party gained five councillors and each of the two opposition parties got one each. This absolute majority meant that issues voted on during the plenary meetings were literally decided in advance with opposition members ignored. Opposition councillors were not allowed to speak during plenary meetings, nor were members of the public.  It is the mayor’s discretion over whether Opposition councillors or members of the public are allowed to speak at plenary meetings and our mayor consistently chose to silence any possible discussion.

Given this past experience, it is safe to assume that unless the Opposition is strong and works effectively, the majority party will continue to steamroll proceedings.  To be an effective Opposition party, we would need four councillors which means we need some 220 votes.  In 2007, the combined Opposition parties achieved 169 votes.  This means every vote will count.